A moment to marvel

We would like to take a moment to marvel at the state of politics in this country, and this state.

We have a Congress that can agree on nothing except that they don't agree on anything.

Currently there is, again, a risk of the government shutting down on Oct. 1, if Congress does not approve a funding bill. Conservatives have said they won't back it, because it doesn't completely defund Obamacare.

Let's be clear.

This is a bill that will allow the federal government — all of it — to function. Without this bill, the country basically stops.

But there are lawmakers, elected by citizens who rely on the government to continue to function, who would allow the government shut down because the bill does not completely defund a program that has survived dozens of defunding votes.

That's right, Congress has had dozens of votes on defunding Obamacare and every one of them has failed.

This does not mean we agree with all of Obamacare, or that we believe the health care reform system will succeed. But we don't think this is a good reason to allow the entire government to shut down.

Is there a good reason to do that, really?

And then we have the state of Colorado.

This week, two state senators were ousted in recall elections. Their crime? Voting in favor of gun legislation that passed the General Assembly during this year's session.

Again, we don't necessarily agree with that legislation. But that doesn't mean there should be a recall election every time legislators cast a vote some of their constituents don't agree with.

Legislators are like everyone else. They can't please all people at all times. Constituencies are not homogenous and not everyone is going to agree with everything their legislators do.

When a legislator does something you disagree with, vote against them during a regular election. If enough people disagree with them then their opponent will get elected, simple as that. That's how our system works. Recall elections should be limited to those elected officials who egregiously violate the trust of their constituencies. This is not a tool that needs to be used at every turn.

People seem to have forgotten this nation was built by compromise. That's why representation in the two houses of Congress is determined in different ways. The House of Representatives gives more representation to large states and the Senate protects the voices of smaller states.

Maybe it's time to remember that digging ourselves trenches isn't going to get us anywhere. Maybe it's time learn how to bend a little.